Beaches

A movie about a lifetime friendship between two women makes a refreshing change, especially when it stars powerhouse Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. They both make the most of their roles as two girls from completely different backgrounds who meet as 11-year-olds and, despite various setbacks, remain friends over the years. Pretty Woman's Garry Marshall directs slickly and Hershey is very appealing as a poor little rich girl, but the movie belongs to the astonishing Midler, playing a brash, selfish singer. This drama is at its best when Midler gives free rein to her character rather than when it slips into schmaltz.

In another age, this sentimental feminist weepie would have been classified as a woman's picture, though Midler's singing gives it a wider appeal.